Snoop Dogg, like every other Los Angeles Lakers fan, is feeling the sting of the recent loss. The Lakers fell to the Memphis Grizzlies in Game Two of their playoff series on Wednesday night. After a dominating Game One performance, the Lakers looked like a different team on Wednesday. Lakers fans were on a massive high after Game One. Now it looks like the team is starting from scratch, heading into Game Three. However, Snoop knows one thing the team needs to work on before their next game.
In a post-game Instagram post, Snoop didn’t hold back his feelings on what he saw from the Lakers. Including the shooting performance of Troy Brown. Snoop let Brown know where he should be until the start of Game Three. “You done missed every three this series, cuz. Every one! Get yo ass in the gym and make them threes.” The rap legend didn’t hold back on the problems he noticed during the loss. The Lakers were trending in the right direction after the Game One win. Including the Grizzlies being without star player Ja Morant in Game Two.
There’s plenty of blame to go around for the Lakers Game 2 loss. Including from star forward Anthony Davis. Davis was nowhere near the player many know him to be in his Game 2 performance. The Lakers big man only scored 13 points in his nearly 40 minutes of playtime. However, LeBron James was the player everyone knows him to be. James gave his all in the losing performance. But that isn’t the biggest takeaway from Wednesday night’s game for James.
Memphis forward Dillon Brooks has made a big splash in calling the NBA legend old after the game. The comments have sparked a lot of discussion on how the Lakers will react in Game 3. Maybe the team will even take notes from frustrated fans like Snoop and push just a little bit harder. What are your thoughts on Snoop Dogg’s comments after the Lakers loss? Are the Lakers a serious contender for the NBA championship? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section. For the latest news on sports, keep it right here at HNHH.
One of the shoes that seems to be making a bit of a comeback is the Air Jordan 2. Overall, this shoe was seen as inferior when compared to other models. Of course, it came right after the Air Jordan 1 and right before Air Jordan 3. These are some of the most iconic shoes ever made, so it should come as no surprise that people felt this way. However, this shoe is finally getting a chance to shine, which is great news for those who always loved these. In fact, 2023 has seen a ton of great colorways already.
Earlier today, we wrote about the Air Jordan 2 “Cool Grey.” Although, it should be noted that this particular colorway is simply an exclusive for women. This means if you want to grab these and you are a man, then you better hope that you have smaller feet. Regardless, there are plenty of men’s colorways on the horizon. Jordan Brand is making sure that they have enough shoes for everyone, which is always some great news. In fact, we now have the official images for the latest Jordan 2, called “Cement Grey.”
With this sneaker, Jordan Brand is definitely leaning on the side of simplicity. Firstly, the shoe begins with a white leather upper. Secondly, the shoe then gets hit with some grey highlights, as well as a bit of beige near the back heel. As for the midsole, white is the primary color, with multiple shades of grey on the outsole. Overall, the shoe comes together nicely to create something palatable for the masses.
As for the release date, these are going to be dropping on May 6th for a price of $175 USD. If you need some nice neutral sneakers that will look great during the summer season, then these are for you. Let us know your thoughts on this new Air Jordan 2, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sneaker world. We will always keep you informed on the latest releases from the world’s biggest brands.
GloRilla’s witnessing colossal success in her career. However, that also comes with its fair share of headaches, especially when clearing samples. Unfortunately, she’s learning about it the hard way now that she’s being sued over “Tomorrow.” Per TMZ, Ivory Paynes of Dog House Posse filed a lawsuit against GloRilla claiming she and her producer Macaroni Toni sampled the single, “Street Of The Westbank” from 1994. In the suit, he claims GloRilla and her producer stole elements of the record – piano, cello, and drums – without authorization.
Paynes lawsuit lists GloRilla, Collective Music Group, and her publishing companies, Warner Chappell and Sony/ATV Music, as the defendants. Though the song gained significant attention after Cardi B jumped on the remix for “Tomorrow 2,” Paynes didn’t list the Bronx star in the case. Regardless, if the judge rules in Paynes’ favor, GloRilla and the defendants might have to cough up some major dough.
Glo Faces New Lawsuit
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 20: (L-R) GloRilla and Cardi B perform onstage during the 2022 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 20, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)
While Paynes looks for his cut of the record, GloRilla’s taken the hit record on tour with her. The Memphis-born rapper brought Cardi B to perform the song at the AMA ceremony last year. Most recently, Cardi showed out for Glo’s performance at Irving Plaza in New York City in February. The appearance shocked the audience and took the energy to new heights. It’s unclear how this lawsuit might impact Glo’s ability to perform the record live. However, we could imagine it’ll remain a part of her setlist this weekend at Coachella weekend two.
Unfortunately for Glo, this is the second lawsuit she must confront head-on in a matter of months. Earlier this year, a stampede broke out at a concert she and Finesse2Tymes headlined. The incident left three people dead and many others injured. Though GloRilla and Finesse left the venue prior to the incident. Nonetheless, the family of one of the victims said they would be taking both artists, as well as the venue and promoters, to court. At this point, no reports indicate that the family filed court documents yet. We’ll keep you posted on anymore updates surrounding GloRilla’s latest lawsuit. For now, check out “Tomorrow 2” and “Street Of The Westbank” below. Let us know if you can spot the similarities.
Lil Uzi Vert has responded to critics of his androgynous alter-ego after introducing Leslie to the world earlier this month while in Thailand for Rolling Lous.
“If Sampa The Great was a man, her new album As Above, So Below would already be in the conversation as one of the top five rap albums of the year,” Uproxx’s Aaron Williams leveled while reviewing the album. “As it is, I have to be Thanos in this situation and do it myself; Sampa’s new album doesn’t just deserve to be considered one of the top five rap albums of 2022… it is.”
Sampa gave more people an opportunity to arrive at the same conclusion last night, April 19, on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She brought along Angélique Kidjo to perform “Let Me Be Great,” their closing track of As Above, So Below, with an assist from The Roots.
It was an evening of Black excellence all around, as Sampa The Great and Angélique Kidjo met former United States First Lady Michelle Obama, a guest on the episode.
“LEGENDS ONLY!” Sampa captioned her Instagram photo. “What an honour.”
Sampa doesn’t need permission to be great, and she reflected on where she’s arrived last October when her As Above, So Below track “Never Forget” featuring Chef 187, Mwanjé, and Tio Nason soundtracked the official trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
“Can you imagine!” Sampa tweeted at the time. “Me … A non-Billboard charting ass, No huge awards having ass, non Viral ass, No sold-out arena tour having ass Independent artist. Whose song is on a Black Panther trailer! This how God works. Thankful!!”
Watch Sampa in her element with Kidjo on Fallon above.
Doechii has always been a phenomenal performer. After experiencing her pop out at Isaiah Rashad’sThe House Is Burning listening in 2021 where I had to ask multiple people “Who is that?,” she dazzled at her own listening where she put on what can only be described as a performance art show for an eye-captivating performance of her song “Crazy,” complete with sticks and electrifying choreography.
Three years later, Doechii is impressing at Coachella and this time around I, along with the audience who for some may have been their first introduction to the TDE talent, got to know the rising star a little better. As the sun began to set, she opened up to thousands with not only her music but also some things about herself. Like, she’s from Tampa, Florida and that’s why she’s the Swamp Princess.
I got the blessing to speak to Doechii after her performance to learn even more about her and all the ingredients that came together for her Coachella debut.
“I went to a performing arts high school, so a lot of my background came from just my experience and my training there,” Doechii told Uproxx backstage. “So a lot of that kind of prepared me for Coachella right now. I had a dope high school experience. It was like High School Musical.”
And it makes sense. Everything Doechii does is with precision.
“I was in chorus, and I also did the jazz musical tech,” she added. “I learned how to write music and music theory.”
We also learn that “Crazy” is a song inspired by a few women in the music industry who people labeled as crazy when they were on the rise and a super meaningful.
“It was Missy Elliott, myself, and Nicki Minaj. I think just those women and how they came up in their careers, a lot of people didn’t really believe in them at first. That resonates with me because I feel like that was me in the beginning of my career. I just felt like it was nice to pay homage to them.”
Philip Cosores
To prep for Coachella, Doechii and her team developed the concept months ahead and rehearsed for two weeks straight.
“My band and I, and my background dancers, we rehearsed every day for two weeks,” she said. “And we just prepared, worked hard, and that’s how we got the show.”
From her blazing energy to her coordinated outfit with the matching contacts, everything was immaculate about her show. The energy she shared with the audience was majestic and divined with the rhythms of her unreleased track “Pacer” (#droppacer) and a slower song titled “Stress,” to which she offered a short 3-breath meditation session after.
“Sometimes you just feel it in the moment, and you just need to take a breath,” she said. “That’s it. I feel like I do that all the time. Just take a breath. So why not do it on stage?”
As far as “Pacer,” apparently it’s coming but she wouldn’t tell me when (I tried ya’ll).
“I can’t tell you,” she asserted. “We haven’t announced the date yet.”
Of course, I probed about the album, and yet —
“Album? Can’t tell you.”
But, there’s a tour and 2023 is looking like that year.
“It’s going to come out this year for sure. It’s almost done. So it’s definitely going to come out this year. I’m just not going to release the date,” she reiterated to me. “Look forward to the album, look forward to a tour this year, and I’ll actually be on Pharrell’s festival (Something In The Water).”
On “Stress,” we get to experience Doechii’s vocal abilities, and on her latest single “What It Is (Block Boy),” which is quite different from what we’re used to getting from her and serves as a digestible tidbit for those who have yet to catch on yet. The crowd went up for this one and so did I.
“I just thought it would be a really nice summer anthem to put out,” she said. “It’s something universally known. A lot of people know it. So that’s really how the song came about. It was just fun and upbeat, and I thought it would be a great song to perform.”
But, that was just for fun. Doechii is a rapper, period. Expect her to do what she wants musically, but always expect her to rap.
“I don’t know if we’re going to get more of that particular sound,” she told me of “What It Is.” “I just wanted to try it, vibe out. But after that, we’re back to rapping.”
As someone who admittedly didn’t get it at first, but am naturally intrigued by anything outside the box, I do know Doechii will never leave me (or the audience) empty-handed when she hits the stage. For Coachella, her intentions were clear.
“My intention for myself is to just release,” she told me. “But ultimately, I believe that when people come to events like this, they’re coming because they need something. They’re looking for something. You don’t know who’s in the crowd or what they’re going through. So whatever they’re looking for, that feeling of love and connection is what I want to leave them with.”
The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.
Last night, the series finale of Snowfall aired, bringing the winding six-year epic to an ironic conclusion. The finale also brought the story of LA drug kingpin Franklin Saint full circle, ending the narrative much as it began – albeit with its protagonist in a much different state, ten years later. (It’s also a full circle moment for yours truly; I quit my old job to work at Uproxx full-time in order to shoot some sponsored content for Snowfall back when it debuted in 2017.)
That story fascinated Brooklyn rapper Skyzoo so much, he wrote a whole album about it. The Mind Of A Saintcame out back in January, but much like the show itself, I didn’t get around to engaging with it until much later. With the overload of content coming out on a seemingly daily basis, the project got lost in the rush.
Fortunately, thanks to the series finale airing this week, I had the perfect opportunity to revisit the project – and I’m so glad I did. On The Mind Of A Saint, Sky plants himself into Franklin’s Converse All-Stars to deliver what he believes is the album that Franklin himself would make if he pulled an Eazy-E and switched from the drug business to the music one.
And unsurprisingly, it works extremely well. Sure, Skyzoo’s got that whole brusque New Yorker demeanor – not to mention an accent that marks him as a native of the Big Apple far more than a hard-R-slinging South LA resident – but aside from the modern quirks of his densely-packed delivery and modern rap mannerisms (as opposed to the more straightforward flows adopted by Angelenos in the ‘80s), his unique storytelling style captures the essence of the series perfectly.
Across the 10 tracks, Skyzoo channels his love of sports and pop culture references into the show’s 1980s setting, only using metaphors he knows the protagonist would use. This includes nods to geopolitical happenings like the Iran-Contra scandal on “Eminent Domain” and local sports heroes like the Lakers’ Norm Nixon on “Straight Drop.”
Meanwhile, tracks like “Bodies!” and “Apologies In Order” recount events from the show itself, like a rap recap. Sky litters the former with the names of the characters in the series who meet their demises from Franklin’s machinations, all while detailing the kingpin’s mindstate: “Manboy deserved it, Khadijah deserved it / Tyana shouldn’t have been in that car, that wasn’t worth it / Andre deserved it / I mean, in the beginning, he didn’t but then he went and got all this pretend purpose.”
Even more impressively, though, Skyzoo indirectly uses this conceptual approach to the album to turn the lens onto the ills of society that continue to create the conditions for this criminal mindset to this day. “Picture opportunity skipping over who you be,” he mourns on “Eminent Domain.”
Then, “Views From The Valley” presents the stark contrast between LA’s various enclaves and how seeing wealth just out of reach can make someone desperate to change their fortunes: “Never blink, and turn all this shit into more than I could ever think /Not a stereotype to let me sink, let me link / Between where I’m from to where I’m placed at /And pray over this blizzard I’ma whip up on my way back.”
When he pulls back for a bird’s-eye view on “Panthers & Powder,” it doesn’t feel like a betrayal of the concept. Instead, it reads like something Franklin knows implicitly, even if he wouldn’t know how to articulate it out loud – at least, until he decided to dedicate himself to a craft like rap, in which case those connections might become clearer.
The most impressive moment on the album, though, comes near its own conclusion (which, unfortunately, was written before the final season of the show even aired, leaving Sky’s interpretation of those events unwritten). On “Purity,” Sky imagines Franklin’s fateful meeting with a young Nipsey Hussle and his older brother Blacc Sam as toddlers. By this point in the show, it’s 1986, so it would be entirely possible for a real-life Franklin to have met the boys’ father.
It’s a clever way to double down on the album’s (and the show’s) themes; that for every action, there’s a reaction, that the consequences of a scheme often far outweigh the merits, that legacies are built and destroyed by the mundane encounters we have every day, and that a system that fails its most vulnerable will stay failing everyone within it.
Nip, like Sky’s imaginary Franklin, found his way out of the hustler’s lifestyle through rap; like the show’s Franklin, though, he couldn’t really escape the realities of the twisted social structure of America, which has determined that some lives have more value than others – even when they traffic in the same immoral industry (just watch the show, you’ll get it).
Like the show that inspired it, The Mind Of A Saint is a fascinating glimpse at the realities of the drug trade and its impacts on the community around it, without the glamorizing that comes from other, similar examples of trap and gangster rap. Because Sky posits from the outset that this is a fictional character’s narrative, he can get intimately close but remain artistically distant.
It’s an example of hip-hop at its highest form, a literary work worth digging into to exegete heady themes and an entertaining display of smart, surprising wordplay. It’s what KRS-One set out to make with Criminal Minded and an extension of Jay-Z accomplished with American Gangster. It’s a concept album that actually sticks the landing – something that is so rarely accomplished in any genre. And, with the final season finally out in the world, there’s still some story left to tell – a perfect excuse for Skyzoo to drop a deluxe.
@iamdoechii 
